Toyota Joins Forces with 11 Other Japanese Companies to Develop High-Performance Automotive Chips

On December 28, Toyota Motor made an announcement regarding the establishment of the "Automotive Advanced SoC Research Center" (ASRA) by 12 prominent Japanese companies. This collaboration includes automobile manufacturers, electrical component manufacturers, and semiconductor companies, all joining forces to conduct joint research and development on high-performance semiconductors for automotive Systems-on-Chip (SoCs).

Toyota stated that modern vehicles utilize approximately 1,000 semiconductors, with different types being employed for various applications. Among them, SoCs are crucial semiconductors necessary for autonomous driving technology and multimedia systems in automobiles. These SoCs demand cutting-edge semiconductor technology to achieve advanced computing capabilities.

Image Credit: Nissan/ASRA News

ASRA's primary focus will be on meeting the stringent safety and reliability requirements for automobiles, with car manufacturers playing a central role in the research. By leveraging the technical expertise and experience of electrical component and semiconductor companies, ASRA aims to drive the practical implementation of state-of-the-art technologies. Specifically, ASRA intends to develop automotive SoCs using chiplet technology, which involves combining different types of semiconductors.

The companies participating in ASRA include Toyota, Subaru, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Denso, Panasonic Automotive Systems, Socionext, Renesas Electronics, Synopsys Japan, Mirise Technologies, the semiconductor joint venture between Toyota and Denso, and Cadence Design Systems Japan.

ASRA has set ambitious goals, aiming to establish in-vehicle chiplet technology by 2028 and begin installing SoCs in production cars starting in 2030.